Despite the fact that Saddam has indeed made a career out of killing Islamists, and threatened Islam's most holy sites a dozen years ago, Al Queda has publically called for his defense against the "Western infidels"

Another bizarre fact - the interests of America and Iran's Shiites have for the moment converged in their mutual opposition to both (1) the purely Sunni (and Wahabi) Al Queda organization and (2) Saddam Hussein. The Iranians aren't saying so publically, but they are privately cheering on the US/UK coalition, because Iran will undoubtedly have enhanced influence in the post Saddam Iraq, as the Iraqi Shiites gain more influence in the new government.